What’s Your Preference?

RustySterling · #1 (**permalink**) 05-17-2009, 08:09 PM

I used Westcott TD5 lights for main and fill, reflector opposite the key light, and a TD3 for overhead back/hairlight. The biggest problem I faced was glare on my glasses. I've read a lot about how to reduce it. But the problem is the most common pose is lower the hear, which puts the frames of my glasses over my eyes.

Take a look further in this thread for set up shots and another self portrait from the same session.

In general, I think it's pretty pedestrian and looks like too many other photogs self portraits. But I just wanted to see what I could do this first time out. I also used my new digital calibration target for white balance and exposure, which I was pretty happy with.
Here's the basic EXIF:

Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: Canon 50mm f/1.8
Exposure: 0.04 sec (1/25)
Aperture: f/4.0

Let me know what you all think. I'll probably start using it for my avatar.

windrider86 · #2 (**permalink**) 05-17-2009, 08:10 PM

I personally think you did a great job. Love the black black background. Dont drop the camera lens!!

dannyrich · #3 (**permalink**) 05-17-2009, 08:13 PM

Great job with the SP.

Did extremely well not to get any reflection on the glasses!

CatcherT · #4 (**permalink**) 05-17-2009, 08:14 PM

wonderful! I think you did an awesome job!

RustySterling · #5 (**permalink**) 05-17-2009, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyrich

Great job with the SP.

Did extremely well not to get any reflection on the glasses!

It was tough. I took about 75 images and only about 6 didn't have glare or had little enough glare to make the shot usable.

dannyrich · #6 (**permalink**) 05-17-2009, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RustySterling

It was tough. I took about 75 images and only about 6 didn't have glare or had little enough glare to make the shot usable.

lol

Im doing a 52 and tonight it took me about 30 goes to get something i liked, i dont wear glasses nor was it particularly hard to do, i just hate posing!

RustySterling · #7 (**permalink**) 05-17-2009, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyrich

lol

Im doing a 52 and tonight it took me about 30 goes to get something i liked, i dont wear glasses nor was it particularly hard to do, i just hate posing!

I'm not thrilled about posing either. But I thought a self portrait would be good exercise. I'll try some later without my glasses and see how it goes.

RustySterling · #8 (**permalink**) 05-18-2009, 03:53 AM

Here's a bit more information on how I shot this. Some of it will be redundant but please bear with me.

My lights are 2 Westcott TD5s and one TD3.

One TD5 with softbox (24x36) is the main on camera left pointed across the front of the subject (me) with a reflector on the other side. The other TD5 is the fill at camera right and behind the camera with a 42" shoot through umbrella. The TD3 is on a boom overhead and behind for hair lights.

I used my Digital Calibration disc to set WB and exposure. I also manually focused on the Calibration disc. Then I moved my seat to where the Calibration disc was. The camera was on a 10 second delay. So I had plenty of time to sit and pose.

The hard part was glare on the glasses. I know to tilt my head down to defeat it but I also had to play with lighting positions as well (which meant redoing WB and exposure each time). Out of about 75 pics, only about 6 were useful without glare in the glasses. I really like the catch lights in my eyes on the one I posted.

Oh, and that nice, wide forehead caused it's own glare problems. But no where near the problems with the glasses.

BTW, I shot manually with a Canon 40D with a Canon 50mm f/1.8, at 1/25 sec., f/4, ISO 100 in RAW and the only post processing was cropping and some burning on my left hand (which was a bit blown out). What I posted was edited down in size and at 72dpi for web viewing.